The Jersey City Public Schools is sponsoring the twenty-fourth annual “Real Women’s” Writing Competition.
This year’s 2016 National Women’s History Project’s theme is “Weaving the Stories of Women’s Lives.”
Each Social Studies student in grades 3-12 will select a woman to research and write about. The goal of this
research based writing task is to tell her story.
Three questions to research:
1. What is her story? How did she accomplish her goals?
2. How did her contributions impact the lives of Americans and American History?
3. How does her story connect to you?
Research Based Essay Guidelines:
1.) Each student’s research based essay must be typed and no longer than 500 words. Research sources
must be cited. If the winning entry sent by the school exceeds 500 words it will not be considered for
submission.
2.) The essay should focus on the three essential questions: How did this woman achieve her goals? How is
her story connected to American history? How does her story connect to you?
3.) All entries must be typed, double-spaced in 12 point font and submitted with a completed submission
form. Both documents must be typed and sent electronically.
4.) Each student must proofread their essay.
Suggested Essay Organization:
Intro.: Basic Life Story of the Woman: Include the woman’s name and 3-5 facts about her. (Basic facts: where and when was she born? What did she do? Etc.) A Quote of hers can also be used in introduction. Body 1: A. What was her story? B. How did she accomplish her goals? Body 2: How did her contributions impact others in American history? A. What did she do to influence history or other Americans? Body 3: How does she connect to You? (this will be your conclusion as well) A. How do you know about her or how did you become interested in her? B. How has she influenced your life? Why did you choose her? Conclusion: Restate Intro. and summarize body paragraphs
Total: about 4 paragraphs
***You may want to choose a quote that this woman said during her life to use in your essay. You can use it in the introduction or conclusion.
REMEMBER TO RESEARCH INFORMATION ABOUT THE WOMAN YOU CHOOSE TO WRITE ABOUT. There must be facts and research.
List of Approved Women:
Jane Addams
Louisa May Alcott
Susan B. Anthony
Virginia Apgar
Delilah Beasley
Clara Barton
Elizabeth Blackwell
Pearl S. Buck
Shirley Chisholm
Eileen Collins
Madame Marie Curie
Amelia Earhart
Mary Backer Eddy
Ella Fitzgerald
Eleanor Flexner
Katharine Graham
LaDonna Harris
Mary Harris Joans
Darlene Clark Hine
Grace Hopper
Dolores Huerta
Swanee Hunt
Shirley Jackson
Mary Harris Joans
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Helen Keller
Maya Lin
Margaret Mead
Diane Nash
Holly Near
Ellen Ocha
Sandra Day O’Connor
Rosa Parks
Esther Peterson
Dr. Sally Ride
Eleanor Roosevelt
Wilma Rudolph
Vicki L. Ruiz
Margaret Sanger
Lynn Sherr
Muriel F. Siebert
Beverly Sills
Lillian Smith
Gloria Steinem
Gladys Tantaquidgeon
Harriet Tubman
Oprah Winfrey
Victoria Woodhull
Judy Yung
Babe Didrikson-Zaharias
Draft of Four paragraph essay due Friday, Jan. 15
The Jersey City Public Schools is sponsoring the twenty-fourth annual “Real Women’s” Writing Competition.
This year’s 2016 National Women’s History Project’s theme is “Weaving the Stories of Women’s Lives.”
Each Social Studies student in grades 3-12 will select a woman to research and write about. The goal of this
research based writing task is to tell her story.
Three questions to research:
1. What is her story? How did she accomplish her goals?
2. How did her contributions impact the lives of Americans and American History?
3. How does her story connect to you?
Research Based Essay Guidelines:
1.) Each student’s research based essay must be typed and no longer than 500 words. Research sources
must be cited. If the winning entry sent by the school exceeds 500 words it will not be considered for
submission.
2.) The essay should focus on the three essential questions: How did this woman achieve her goals? How is
her story connected to American history? How does her story connect to you?
3.) All entries must be typed, double-spaced in 12 point font and submitted with a completed submission
form. Both documents must be typed and sent electronically.
4.) Each student must proofread their essay.
Suggested Essay Organization:
Intro.: Basic Life Story of the Woman: Include the woman’s name and 3-5 facts about her. (Basic facts: where and when was she born? What did she do? Etc.) A Quote of hers can also be used in introduction.
Body 1:
A. What was her story?
B. How did she accomplish her goals?
Body 2: How did her contributions impact others in American history?
A. What did she do to influence history or other Americans?
Body 3: How does she connect to You? (this will be your conclusion as well)
A. How do you know about her or how did you become interested in her?
B. How has she influenced your life? Why did you choose her?
Conclusion: Restate Intro. and summarize body paragraphs
Total: about 4 paragraphs
***You may want to choose a quote that this woman said during her life to use in your essay. You can use it in the introduction or conclusion.
REMEMBER TO RESEARCH INFORMATION ABOUT THE WOMAN YOU CHOOSE TO WRITE ABOUT. There must be facts and research.
List of Approved Women:
Jane Addams
Louisa May Alcott
Susan B. Anthony
Virginia Apgar
Delilah Beasley
Clara Barton
Elizabeth Blackwell
Pearl S. Buck
Shirley Chisholm
Eileen Collins
Madame Marie Curie
Amelia Earhart
Mary Backer Eddy
Ella Fitzgerald
Eleanor Flexner
Katharine Graham
LaDonna Harris
Mary Harris Joans
Darlene Clark Hine
Grace Hopper
Dolores Huerta
Swanee Hunt
Shirley Jackson
Mary Harris Joans
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Helen Keller
Maya Lin
Margaret Mead
Diane Nash
Holly Near
Ellen Ocha
Sandra Day O’Connor
Rosa Parks
Esther Peterson
Dr. Sally Ride
Eleanor Roosevelt
Wilma Rudolph
Vicki L. Ruiz
Margaret Sanger
Lynn Sherr
Muriel F. Siebert
Beverly Sills
Lillian Smith
Gloria Steinem
Gladys Tantaquidgeon
Harriet Tubman
Oprah Winfrey
Victoria Woodhull
Judy Yung
Babe Didrikson-Zaharias